Topics

1

General Mach Discussion / What files should I back up?

« on: February 26, 2015, 07:38:40 AM »

Just recently my router computers hard drive decided to die. I managed to get a new HDD up and running with a fresh install of XP and Mach3.
This all went reasonably well.
I had backed up my xml file onto a memory stick, so I figured it wouldn't take much to get the router running again but.......
The saved xml didn't include my saved fixture settings, so I lost all of them. I had to re-write my script for zeroing my tool height also.

So is there more I should've/could've done to save my data??

2

Video P*r*o*b*i*n*g / Scanything

« on: February 14, 2015, 07:15:17 AM »

I found this program on the Sheetcam website today and I'm wondering if anyone here has used it.
I have managed to get Scanything to work but I can't save any file without purchasing the licence. Before I do that I'd be keen to hear of anyones experience with it.

I have been looking for a template tracing program for awhile now. I have tried and tried to get the copycat addon in Mach3 to work properly but it doesn't. That was a waste of money.

3

Video P*r*o*b*i*n*g / Copycat frustrations. Some advise needed please.

« on: June 15, 2014, 02:03:55 AM »

Like the title states, I'm struggling to get Copycat to work correctly.

First off I had an issue with my video pluggin that I intended to use with CC. Thanks to Klaus that is all sorted now.
I then downloaded the CC manual from the "Members docs" section on the forum. I read through the manual and played around in the default program and was sure that I would be able to use CC for what I needed, so I purchased an Addons licence.
I then found out that I still had the old version of CC installed, so I did a search and downloaded V1.1 and have that up and running with lic.

Now the problem is that I can't seem to get CC to function correctly.
I can set all the Feeds, Safe Z and Holes specs in their respective places. I can jog around using my camera and generate code that will cut a profile shape etc.
My problem arrises when I jog to the centre of a hole I want to cut.

The program requires a rapid or feed move to the center of the hole, that's ok. Then I tell it to "Cut Hole" and I get a popup window stating that the "Tool diameter must be larger than zero".
I have the tool diameter of 2.5 entered in the screen box, but when I type 2.5 in the popup window it rejects it. After much frustration and trial and error, I have found that it will only let me enter a figure between .1 and 2, nothing higher. This is regardless of how big I make the tool diameter in the onscreen box.
If I let it accept a figure of say 1, it posts up code for the hole cut operation, but I get this HUGE circle appear in the toolpath screen and it doesn't match the position or size of the required hole.

I have tried letting the machine cut the complete code. The profile with rapids and feed commands works perfectly, then it tries to cut the huge circle.

I have tried finding out why it does this but have drawn a blank. At first I thought it was a mm to inch thing, but my native units are in mm's and CC doesn't have anywhere to change that. I have created various tools in Mach3, but that doesn't seem to alter anything.

The other frustrating thing is that it overwrites the file and I have now lost the original file that I made.
Is there a way of adding to an existing CC file that has been created earlier? This would help so I don't have to go back and generate the profile section of my code.

I'm at my wits end with CC. Can anybody help me out?

4

Video P*r*o*b*i*n*g / Camera problems

« on: March 26, 2014, 07:34:07 AM »

Hello everyone, I'm seeking some help with a problem I have going on.
I have a Celestron microscope set up as an origin finder on my router and I'm trying to you Klause's plugin, but having issues.

First of all. The microscope that I bought was secondhand and didn't come with any disc. I downloaded the correct driver and managed to get it to work. I'm extremely happy with the image that the microscope puts out.
I have configured the plugin with offset numbers and colours etc. This all seemed to work ok.
The problem starts with jogging while the video screen is open. I'm using the keyboard to jog the machine, but I get extremely erratic movements which don't make sense. Some times there is no jogging at all when a button is pressed and other times it jogs way more than it should. This also happens when using the MPG callout.
The next issue comes when I ask it to move the offset. It moves part way and then stalls the motors. This doesn't always happen the same amount, sometimes it works ok and sometimes it doesn't work at all.
I found that I was using V2.12, so I updated it to the current version. This made no change to the operation.

So in frustration I disabled Klause's plugin and opened the video screen that comes with Mach3 and while using this screen, the machine jogs perfectly. I don't see anywhere I can add an offset to this window, so I have been manually typing the offset figures into the DRO's and pressing GOTO Z. This works perfectly but is not really what I'm wanting.

I found this topic http://www.machsupport.com/forum/index.php/topic,11119.20.html where Greolt described exactly what I'm experiencing in reply #20 > #31.

Can anyone help me with suggestions of a work around for getting the system to work for me while using the Mach3 video screen?
Is there a way to add some camera operation buttons to the main screen? This would make it easier to operate the camera.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

5

General Mach Discussion / Z Axis loosing steps in the up direction only.

« on: January 23, 2014, 08:51:49 PM »

As the title states, my trusty router has developed a problem with it's Z axis motor loosing steps in the ^UP^ direction only.
This started after I gave mach3 a command to GOTOZ whilst doing some rotary carving on my 4th axis. It was a very stupid command to give, as that drove the cutter all the way into the job and ruined it. I have the Z zero alinged with the center of my part and I've only just started experimenting with the 4th axis. Lesson learnt.

Seeing that my project was ruined, I decided to complete the run and confirm that the job was going to turn out as I'd liked. This is when all my dramas started.
While running the rest of the code the Z axis started making strange noises and proceeded to drive deeper into the job.

I decided that I must have damaged the axis somehow, so I pulled it apart expecting to find a rough bearing or ball screw, but everything looked fine. I then ran the stepper without it being connected to the ball screw and found that jogging in the down direction the motor runs perfectly, but jogging in the up direction the motor jerks and moans and looses steps. Sometimes it even runs the wrong direction. The DRO appears to cycle as per normal and the soft limits were still working as they should.

I have changed motors and driver boards around and the problem still exists only in the Z axis UP direction. I have checked all my motor tuning settings and every other setting that I can think of and they are all set as they have been for years. So nothing has changed in the program that I can see.

My machine is running Probotix BOB and stepper drives, as well as their motors and power supply.
I've been running X Y & Z on 1/4 steps without a problem, and the rotary axis is running 1/8th stepping.
Could I have a bad BOB or parallel port pin? I have had the computer mother board go bad before and that made me suspect the BOB, but with some help from Probotix I was able to diagnose that the mother board had failed. The current board has been running fine for the last year or so.

Could anyone please help shine some light on the possible cause of my problem as I've run out of ideas?

6

Video P*r*o*b*i*n*g / Copycat questions.

« on: September 19, 2013, 10:43:10 PM »

I am fairly new to the world of cnc, but have managed to build my own cnc router with good success.
I'm using Mach3 to run the machine and Vcarve Pro and Solidworks for my cad work.

I just recently mounted a camera to my spindle. This is mainly going to be used as an origin finder for when I place the stock onto my table.
However, I would like to use the camera for more than just that.
I frequently design stuff the old fashioned way using cardboard templates. Because of this, I've been looking at getting CopyCat and digitizing these patterns.
By digitizing I'm only refering to a profile outline and some holes etc. I'm not wanting a 3D representation of the object.

Now my question is this.
Once I have traced the pattern using CopyCat and generated the gcode, can I open that gcode file in say Vcarve Pro for further editing or modifing, or am I limited to only having the gcode file?
I realise that I can edit the code but this would be time consuming.
Is there a different way I can do this, that is better maybe?

I have found many good topics relating to CopyCat, but haven't come up with an answer to my question.
I appreciate any help.